Overview
R1a-Y2620 is the largest downstream branch of R1a-Y2619 and occupies a significant place in the paternal ancestry of eastern Slavic populations. The lineage formed during the late Bronze Age in regions stretching across modern Belarus, western Russia and northern Ukraine. Archaeological connections suggest that Y2620 ancestors were part of the communities that contributed to the cultural formation of the early Baltic and forest-zone groups. During the Iron Age, Y2620 lineages became embedded in the demographic fabric of early Slavic predecessors. Sites associated with the Milograd and early hillfort cultures yield patterns consistent with the presence of Y2620. The early medieval period saw dramatic expansion of this branch as Slavic tribes spread across eastern Europe, forming powerful confederations and early state structures including the early Rus networks. Today, Y2620 remains a defining lineage for eastern Slavic genetic identity and is extremely common in Belarus and western Russia.